Percussion musical instrument



Feb. 2, 1932. w. D. GLADSTONE PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug.25, 1930 j. I i

26; ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 2, 1932 TES PATENT oFFlcE WIL IAM J).GLADSTONE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed August 25, 1930. SerialNo. 477,551.

My invention relates to percussion musical instruments and refersparticularly to those percussion musical instruments generally known asxylophones.

Later improvements in xylophones, which consist of a plurality of metalplates, or bars, each capable of producing a desired note when struckwith a proper'instrument, have developed 'a-musical instrument in whicha hollow cylindrical resonator is placed beneath each tonal'bar with arevolving fan, or pulsator, within each resonator. There is thusproduced a much more resonant and a much more sustained note than can beproduced by the tonal bars alone.

In order to produce the most desirable tonal efilects, it is essentialthat the resonator pulsator mechanism be capable of operativeness orin-operativeness quickly and at will and that the tonal bar vibrationsbe interrupted or damped, when desired.

It is only by the employment of mechanism which will accomplish theseresults, that the most desirable tonaleffects can be produced.

Becauseof its rapidity of action, the electric current has been foundto'be the most eflicient operating power for the revolution of thepulsator fans and hence it has been generally adopted for this purpose.5

' As the musician must have a mallet in each hand in order'to play theinstrument, it is evident that any electric switch mechanism which reuires the use of the hand to make and brea the electric circuit, is notwell adapted for this purpose.

Further, these instruments are usually a part of orchestra equipment,and the operator thereof has a number. of other percussion musicalinstruments to operate, and hence themeans ofemploying the dampingeffects and the resonance efi'ect must be easy, positive and immediateof accomplishment, and, therefore, any means which requires the use ofthe hands of the musician is highly objectionable and a severe handicapto the production of the best musical effects.

My device overcomes all of the above, and other objectionable featuresof hand operated devices and presents a means whereby the damping, andundamping of the tonal bars and the operation and inoperation, of theresonant-pulsator mechanism can be readily and rapidly accomplished by afoot movement of the musician, thus allowing the free and unimpeded useof his hands for the production of the tonal notes.

The numerous advantages of my device will be evident upon aconsideration of my specification and its accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one form of the device of myinvention, similar parts are designated by similar numerals.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the device of myinvention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section through the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure l is an enlarged inverted perspective View of the electrical makeand break device shown in Figure 3.

The particular form of the device of my invention shown in theaccompanying drawings comprises two uprights 10, 10, upon which are twolongitudinal supports 11 and 12, upon which are two series of tonalplates or bars 13, 1 1.

A cylindrical-resonator 15 is positioned below each tonal plate and hasa revoluble pulsator fan 16 supported therein, said fan 16 beingrevolved through the medium of an electric motor 17 Midway of thedevice, a yoke 18 is supported upon the members 11 and 12. A 8

damping bar 19, having felt 20 upon the upper face thereof, extendslongitudinally of the device beneath two series of tonal plates and ispivotally supported by an arm 21 at each end thereof.

A fixed shaft 22 extends downwardly from the clamping member 19 throughan opening in the lower portion of the yoke 18, the lower end of the rod22 being threaded to receivethe nut 23 and the lock nut 24.

A semi-circular collar 27 is pivotally attached to the two ends of adownwardly extended portion of the damping member and has two downwardlyextending arms 28, 28,

with a hook end, each capable of receiving the extended pin 29 of theplate 25.

The semi-circular collar 27 also has a loniglitudinal arm member 30. Ahook 31 is xedly attached to the downwardly extended member 32 of thedamping member 18.

Fixedly attached to the cross bar 33 0f the supporting frame is a member34, the lower portion of which has a plurality of recesses around itsperiphery.

Revolubly attached to the member 30 is a member 35 having a plurality ofupward extensions capable of fitment within the recesses of the member34.

Pivotally attached to the member 35.is a pedal bar 36 having theextended foot pedal 37. A bar 38 has a head 39 in the upper end thereof,capable of placement upon the upper face of the hook 31 when the bar 38is within the hook opening. The slidable spring controlled member 40,thus holds the bar in position within the. hook 31.

A plug 41 of electric insulated material is threaded within one end ofthe tube, or casing, 42, the lower end of the bar 38 being threadedwithin the plug 41. Two electric wires 43.43, connected to a source ofelectric current, not shown, pass through'the plug 41 each beingattached to a contact plate 44 maintained to the plug 41 by means of ascrew 45. V

A bar 46 is slidable through an opening in the bottom of the casing 42and is telescoped within the tube 47 which is. pivotally attached to thepedal bar 36, the bar 46 and the tube 47 being maintained in positionsrelative to each other by'means of the setscrew 48, threaded within thebar 46 and within the casing 42 is a bar 49, limiting the :downwardmovement of the bar 46.

" A bar 50 of electric insulating material is threaded within the upperend of the bar 46 and carries a cap 51 of electric conducting material,capable of abutment upon, and spacement from the contact plates 44.44.

A collar 52 capable of movement along the bar 46 is maintained inposition by the setscrew 53, and a spring 54, fixedly attached to thecollar 52, and the bottom of the casing 42 normally tends to maintainthe bar 46 in an inward position, in which the cap 51 and the contactplates 44.44 are not in abutment.

A set-screw 55 is threaded within an opening in the casing 42, and iscapable of abutting upon the bar 46.

The pivotal movement of the members 34 and'35 with respect to eachother, allows the pedal bar 36 to be moved to the right or left to suitthe convenience of'the musician.

When the device is in normal position, the felt 20, of the damping bar19, abuts upon [the two series of tonal bars 13 and 14.

The operation of the device is as follows When it is desired to play theinstrument, the foot of the musician is placed upon the foot pedal 37and pressed downwardly. This movement drawing the bars 47, 46 and 38downwardly, removing the damping member from abutment upon the tonalbars and drawing the cap 51 into abutment with the contact plates 44.44completing the electric circuit and causing the revolution of thepulsators. c i

It will be noted that the casing 42 and the bar 38, releasing thedamping member, will not be drawn downwardly until the bar 49 abuts uponthe bottom of the casing, and that hence, the bar 50 may be sopositioned that either the damping member will be removed from abutmentwith the tonal bars before the completion of electric contact and theoperation of the pulsators, or the pulsators may be put into operationbeforethe damping memher is released from such abutment. It is evidentthat if the resiliency of the spring 54 is greater than that of spring40, the damping bar 19 willbe removed from abutment upon the tonal bars13, 14 before contact between the contact plate 44 and the bar 50. If,however, the resiliency of the spring 54 is less than that of spring 40,the contact plate 44 and the bar 50 will abut upon each other before thedamping bar 19 is removed from contact with the tonal bars 13, 14. Thisis a valuable feature of the device.

Vhen the foot is removed from the foot pedal, the device returns to itsoriginal position with the tonal bars damped and the pulsatorsmotionless.

If it is desired to maintain the pulsators in operative position withoutuse of the foot pedal, the bar 46 is drawn downwardly until the cap 51and the contact plates 44.44 are in abutment and this positionmaintained by means of the set-screw 55.

As some musicians prefer to have the normal position of the foot pedal agreater or less distance from the floor, it is evident that some readilyaccessible means should be employed to co-ordinate the contacting of theelectric circuit elements under such varying conditions, and this isaccomplished by means of the telescopic members 46 and 47. By the meansdescribed, the distance of the foot pedal 37 from the floor may bevaried without interfering with the relative positions of the cap 51 andthe contact plates 4444.

It will thus be seen that my device presents an effective means foraccomplishing the described and desirable results by the simple movementof a pedal bar.

The simplicity and certainty of the movements of my device in order toproduce the above described results, are of the greatest shape, number,arrangementor material of parts,'-as shown and" described, as these aregiven simply as a means for clearly describing the device of myinvention.

=What"I claim is Ina percussion musical instrument, in combination, atonal bar, a hollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, arevolublep'ulsatorwithin said resonator, a damping'member normallyabutting upon said barjanflelectric circuit connecting said pulsatorwith a source of electric power and a pedal, the movement of which willremove said"damping member from abutment with said bar and causethecompletion of the elec tric circuit, 'causinga revolution of saidpulsator; V

2. In 'a 'percussion musical instrument, i combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a 'damping'member normally abutting uponsaid bar,.an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with 'a source ofelectric power a pedal the downward movement of which will remove saiddamping member from abutment with said bar and cause the' completion ofthe electric circuit, causing a revolution of said pulsator, and meansreturning said pedal toits normal position-when pressure is removedtherefrom.

3. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar,'ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric power, a pedal, the movement of which will remove said'dampingimember from abutment with said bar and cause the completion ofthe electric circuit, causing a revolution of said pulsator and meanswhereby the normal position of said pedal may be Varied without varyingtheinormal relative positions of the contact elements of said electriccircuit.

4. lna percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said barand spaced therefrom, a

'revoluble pulsatorwithin said resonator, a

dampingv member normally abutting upon said bar, an electric circuitconnecting said pulsator with a source of electric power, a pedal, themovement ofwhich will remove said damping member from abutment withsaidbar and cause the completion of the electric circuit, causing arevolution of said pulsator-, means whereby the vertical positionofvrsaid pedal may be varied without varying the normal relativepositions of the contact elements of said electric circuit and meansreturning said pedal to its normal osition when pressure is removedthere rom.

'5. In a percussion musical instrument, in

combination, a tonal bar, a hollow resonator beneath said bar and spacedtherefrom, a revoluble pulsator within said resonator, a damping membernormally abutting upon said bar, an electric circuit connecting saidpulsator with a source of electric power, a vertically movable pedal,means connected to said pedal, the downward movement of which willrelease said damping means from abutment with said bar, electric makeand break means carried by said connecting means and within-saidelectric circuit, means whereby the'downward movement of said pedal willmake said circuit and means whereby the normal position of said pedalwill break said circuit, the making of said circuit causing a revolutionof said pulsator.

- 6.-In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric power, a vertically movable pedal, means connected to saidpedal, the downward movement of which will release said damping meansfrom abutment with said bar, electric make and break means carried bysaid connecting leans and-within said electric circuit, means wherebythe downward movement of said pedal will make said circuit, meanswhereby the normal position of said pedal will break said circuit, themaking of said circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator andmeanswhereby the normal position of said pedal may be varied. without varyingthe normal relative positions of the contact elements of the saidelectric circuit.

7. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric power, a vertically movable pedal, a tube pivotally attached tosaid pedal, a bar telescopicwithin said tube, means for maintaining saidbar in said tube in predetermined positions, an electric contact membercarried by said bar, a second bar connected. to said damping member, thetermini of the electric wires of said circuit being carried by saidsecond bar,

the elements being so positioned that the downward movement of the firstbar will cause its contact member to -abut upon the wire terminicontacts and the upward movement of the first barintonormal positionwill break said contact, the making of said circuit causing a revolutionof said pulsator.

8. In a percussion musical instrument in combination, a tonal bar,- ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator withinsaid resonator, a

damping member normally abutting upon said bar, an electric circuitconnecting said pulsator with a source of electric current, a pedal, andmeans whereby amovement of said pedalwill first remove said dampingmember from abutment upon said tonal bar, a continuous further movementof said pedal causing a completion of the electric circuit, causing arevolution of said pulsator.

9. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination,a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator witha source ofelectric current, a pedal, means whereby a movement of said pedal willfirst remove said damping member from abutment upon said tonal bar, acontinuous further movement ofsaid pedal causing a completion of theelectric circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator and meansreturning said pedal to its normal position when pressure is removedtherefrom. o

10. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric current, a pedal, means whereby a movement of said pedal willfirst remove said damping member from abutment upon said tonal bar, acontinuous further movement of said pedal causing a completion of theelectric circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator and means wherebya different movement of said pedal will first break said circuit andthen return said damping member to abutment with said bar.

11. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric current, a pedal, means whereby a movement of said pedal willfirst remove said damping member from abutment upon said tonal bar, acontinuous further movement of said pedal causing a completion of theelectric circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator, means whereby adiiferent movement of said pedal will first break said circuit and thenreturn said damping member to abutment with said bar and means returningsaid pedal to its normal position when pressure is removed therefrom. r

12. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, atonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a

damping member normally abutting upm said bar, an electric circuitconnecting said pulsator with a source of electric current, a pedal,means whereby a movement of'said pedal will first remove said dampingmember from abutment upon said tonal bar, a continuous further movementof said pedal causing a completion of the electric circuit causing arevolution of said pulsator and means whereby the normal position ofsaid pedal may be varied without varying the normal relative positionsof the contact elements of said electric circuit. 7

13. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric current, a pedal, means whereby a movement of said pedal willfirst remove said damping-member from abutment upon said tonal bar, acontinuous further movement of said pedal causing a completion of theelectric circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator, means returningsaid pedal to its normal position" when pressure is removed therefromand means whereby the normal position of said pedal may be variedwithout varying the normal relative positions of the contact elements ofsaid electric circuit.

14. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, l damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric current, a pedal, means whereby a movement of said pedal willfirst remove said damping member from abutment upon said tonal bar, acon tinuous further movement of said pedal cansing a completion of theelectric circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator, means whereby adifierent movement of said pedal will first break said circuit and thenreturn said damping member to abutment with said bar, and means wherebythe normal position of said pedal may be varied without varying thenormal relative positions of the contact elements of said electriccircuit.

15. In a percussion musical instrument, in combination, a tonal bar, ahollow resonator beneath said bar and spaced therefrom, a revolublepulsator within said resonator, a damping member normally abutting uponsaid bar, an electric circuit connecting said pulsator with a source ofelectric current, a pedal, means whereby a movement of said pedal willfirst remove said damping member from abutment upon said tonal bar, acontinuous further movement of said pedal causing a completion of theelectric circuit causing a revolution of said pulsator, means whereby adiflerent movement of said pedal will first break said circuit and thenreturn said damping member to abutment with said bar, means returningsaid pedal to its normal position when pressure is removed therefrom andmeans whereby the normal position of said pedal may be varied withoutvarying the normal relative positions of the contact elements of saidelectriccircuit.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 21st day of August, 1930.

' WILLIAM D. GLADSTONE.

